


a long way from home

by krononan



Category: The Wilds (TV 2020)
Genre: AU, F/F, i reallly dont have a plan here but its just them getting stranded i guess, sci fi reimagining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 18:27:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29406219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krononan/pseuds/krononan
Summary: Tasked with exploring a new planet in deep space far away from Earth, nine brave crew members journey to the center of the galaxy. However, an unexpected engine failure lands them on a far away planet with no captain.or, a pretty barebones sci fi reimagining of the Wilds.
Relationships: Shelby Goodkind/Toni Shalifoe
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	a long way from home

**Author's Note:**

> thumbs up yall

Shelby’s stomach turned as the ship shuddered violently in the vacuum of space. She held on tightly to the armrest of her seat. The cups and plates of the crew’s breakfast rattled and spilled rehydrated nutrient packs onto the table. Shelby smiled across the table at the first mate, a stoic girl who had introduced herself as Dot.

“Dottie, you wouldn’t happen to know what’s going on. Something the captain hasn’t told us?”

Dot gave her a dirty look. Shelby startled as the walls of the ship shook again. They had never so much felt a bump throughout the entire journey, until now. Shelby wondered if it was all catching up to them now. She shook the thought away and looked to Dot with one of her signature smiles. Dot did not return it.

“It’s Dot. And no, I’m sure Jeanette has it covered. Probably just some energy flare ups from a sun nearby or something.”

They both looked up as the ship groaned.

“Probably.”

Just as the word left Dot’s lips the bright lights in the ship galley went dark. They were replaced by a dull red light from the emergency system. Shelby looked at Dot with wide eyes, but still smiling.

“Is that supposed to happen? I’ve never flown deep space before. I don’t think they mentioned this in the mission debriefing.”

“No, it’s definitely not supposed to be happening. Find Rachel, the engineer. She might need help getting this hunk of junk back online.”

“What do you mean back online?”

Dot sighed and turned to Shelby, hands raised.

“Until further notice, Corporal Goodkind, this ship is going down. Now move your ass.”

Dot shouldered past Shelby toward the bridge of the ship. Shelby gaped after her for a second before taking one last look at the emergency flashers. She felt panic bubble in her chest as the floor beneath her began to sway and shake harder. Her breaths shuddered as she tried to take a deep breath.

“What the lord delivers us to, he will deliver us from,” Shelby sighed. 

She grabbed her Eden Incorporated jacket off the back of the chair and dashed into the depths of the ship. It was not far into the dark corridors of the ship before she ran headfirst into another crewmember. The much shorter crew member stumbled to the side as the floor lurched beneath them.

“Would you watch where you’re going? It’s hard enough trying to get around here without you running into people.”

Shelby cursed her bad luck but put on another one of her famous smiles.

“Well I’m very sorry about that Toni, but I was just looking for Rachel. Dot thinks she might need some help.”

Toni hesitated and pointed behind her shoulder.

“I saw her and Nora back there. Now move, I got to find Martha.”

Before Shelby could say anything, she was gone. Shelby sighed and looked after her, but the red-tinged pipes and shadows were all she could see. The ship was an unsettling place even when the lights were fully operational. There were too many shadows hiding behind pipes and the place had an awful sameness that nearly drove Shelby insane. Although her crewmates were ever present, she always felt somewhat alone. Hardly any of them really spoke to her aside from the biologist. Martha was a sweet girl who always seemed happy to listen. Toni on the other hand was more inclined to glare from across the room. Another tremor shook Shelby out of her thoughts. She stumbled through the hall, barely avoiding being bashed on the sides.

“Go away Nora, I can do it!”

“Let me help you!”

Shelby turned a corner and was faced with the Reid twins. Rachel was struggling to hold some sort of clamp onto a pipe that was spewing thick steam at her feet. Nora stood nearby, biting the sleeves of her jacket in worry. Shelby yelped as the ground beneath her jerked, throwing them all off their feet. She blinked away the stars in her eyes. She could taste blood. Her head spun as she stood. Rachel was sprawled out near the pipe. Her tight bun was beginning to come unraveled.

“What the fuck is going on out there?” Rachel shouted.

“Attention all crewmates of the Eve, please assume emergency crash protocols. Strap yourselves in, because this is going to be one ugly landing,” Jeanette’s voice came through the ship’s intercom. It was cheery, as usual, but tinged with an uncharacteristic tension. “I repeat, all crewmembers, prepare for emergency landing.”

“Holy shit,” Rachel shouted, and dragged herself up by the pipes in the walls. The passage was becoming hazy, red and thick like some horrible nightmare or a scene from a horror film. “Let’s go!”

Rachel and Shelby dragged Nora up by her arms. Without another word the three ran through the hall. Every one of their steps was unsteady, thrown between each wall without mercy. Shelby’s head ached.

When they burst through the door to the galley, the remains of Shelby and Dot’s breakfast were scattered over the walls and ceiling. Shelby’s boots slipped and skidded in the sludge.

“What a fucking mess,” Rachel cursed.

“Good thing we won’t have to clean it up later,” Shelby replied.

The main hull of the ship was clean, at least. The rest of the crew was waiting for them, already strapped in.

“Where were you guys, we were worried,” Martha said.

“We got a little tied up, but we’re here now.”

The three remaining crew members jumped into their seats and buckled in. Toni was holding Martha as the hull of the ship groaned and creaked. Dot burst through the door to the bridge. 

“Everyone, masks on. We don’t know where we’re landing.”

“What do you mean you don’t know where we’re landing? Isn’t that like, your job?” Fatin shouted at Dot. Fatin was supposedly the group’s cartographer, not that she ever did anything on the ship. There wasn’t much need for maps when you had exactly four places you could ever go. She had even refused to take part in daily chores on the grounds that she wasn’t hired to do so. 

“I don’t know everything. Now, everyone buckle up and get your oxygen converters ready.”

“What about the captain?” Nora asked, her eyes full of concern.

“Jeanette says she has to be up there to put us on the ground. She’ll be fine. She’s the most qualified person here.”

Even Dot didn’t look convinced. Only Leah looked unbothered by the mess, but Shelby had also never seen Leah care about anything.

“All crew, brace for impact."

Shelby closed her eyes. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” she shouted, hands clasped and head bowed. With one more breath, she repeated it.

The ship collided with the ground, almost skipping over the face of the hard rock beneath it. The metal grating against the ground screeched. A great cloud of dust plumed up behind them. Both of the wings were torn off, left behind far from where they eventually came to a stop.  
Shelby wasn’t expecting to open her eyes. As she came to, the rest of the crew was sitting, shell shocked. There were tears in many of their masks, but they were somehow all still intact.

“Jesus Christ,” Toni muttered. Shelby glared at her.

“Is everyone ok?” Dot asked, hesitantly unbuckling her restraints. 

“I’m alright,” Shelby said among the chorus of responses.

“Good. I’m going to go check on Jeanette. Everyone, space suits on. We’re going to need to see the damage.”

Shelby nodded and waited to stand. It was immensely difficult, almost like she was moving through water. Dot unlocked a large case near the entrance to the bridge. Waiting inside were nine neatly folded space suits, all in the signature pastel pink of the Eden Corporation. The insignias on the shoulder looked brand new. Dot groaned.

“I hate this color.”

“I think it’s the only good thing about this whole trip,” Fatin replied.

Dot pulled it on over her clothes and attached the oxygen converter to the back. For space suits, they could be worse. They weren’t like the ancient space suits of the past. Instead, they were more like pull over onesies, but for space. The color did not help that impression. 

“I think they’re fun,” Shelby said.

“Of course you would,” Toni muttered.

“Stop fighting.”

Upon seeing that everyone was prepared, Dot tried to pull open the door to the bridge. It pulled out part of the way, and Shelby rushed forward to help pry it open. Her heart dropped as she took in the scene in the bridge. It was in shambles, the impact having destroyed most of the front of the ship. Shelby guessed there was maybe half, if even, of the bridge left after the crash. The captain’s seat was situated near the front of the ship. It was long gone. 

“Fuck,” Rachel swore.

Shelby stood shell shocked. She had thought her prayers were answered. However, looking about the room, she could not see their captain anywhere.

“Hey, maybe she ejected or something. You know, like before we hit the ground,” Shelby said.

Leah scoffed. “That’s bullshit. You wouldn’t survive.” 

It was the most that Leah had said to her throughout their trip. Since takeoff their records keeper had been surly at best. She hardly ever spoke to the others, choosing to take her meals in her quarters or at the data terminal.

“Now come on. This is our captain that you’re talking about, Leah,” Shelby replied.

Leah’s face was sour. Before she could respond, Rachel shrieked.

“Oh my god what is that?” She shouted, pointing out of the open window of the bridge at a blur approaching the ship from across the wasteland. The unknown threat made its way through the flat, gray expanse toward them quickly.

“Everyone get the fuck back inside,” Dot shouted, and they each squeezed their way through the doorway in a panic. Fatin pushed herself through first and the rest piled in behind her. “Someone help me get this door closed, now!” 

Toni jumped forward. The door was smooth faced, with no handles to speak of. They scrabbled against it looking for a hand hold. Shelby could see whatever it was barreling towards them. 

“Will you close the fucking door already?” Fatin shouted, pressed into the very far back corner of the sealed chamber.

“I’m working on it,” Dot said through gritted teeth.

Shelby leaned in over Toni and pushed with the other two. The door screeched as it slowly eased shut. Shelby looked up. To her horror, the beast was closing in. It had beady, black eyes and what must have been hundreds of legs. It reared up, legs as tall as Shelby herself waving in the air. Its carapace was a deep purple, almost black that glinted in the sunlight. 

“What is that thing?” Leah shouted.

“Close the fucking door!” Fatin screeched.

“I think it’s some kind of outer world insect. I don’t think it can see very well. If we just stay still it might investigate and go away,” Martha said, “They don’t…eat people I just think it’s curious.”

“I really don’t like our chances,” Rachel hissed.

“Everybody shut up and stop moving. Let’s wait to see if it passes.”

Every one of them froze. The massive insectoid did not stop scuttling toward them.

“It’s coming this way,” Nora whispered.

“No shit,” Toni muttered back.

Shelby shushed them. Toni looked up at her with fury in her eyes. They both froze as the beast came almost to the mouth of the destroyed bridge. A low whistle cut through the air, and it suddenly stopped. It looked around, scanning with wide black eyes. 

“What’s going on-“

Martha elbowed Rachel. They all stared out of the open door frozen in place. As they watched, a much smaller, humanoid form jumped down. 

“Hello? Anyone still alive out here?”

Dot looked to Shelby, who shrugged. Dot and Shelby exchanged a series of facial expressions before furiously playing a game of rock, paper, and scissors. Dot celebrated silently as she crushed Shelby’s scissors with her rock. 

“Shelby,” Toni said, grabbing onto Shelby’s shoulder before she had a chance to leave. “Be careful.”

“I’ll be just fine,” Shelby replied, somewhat softer than usual. 

Toni sighed and watched in apprehension as Shelby exited the cabin, hands raised. The stranger levelled a rifle at her.

“Now what the fuck is going on? Who are you?”

Shelby froze at the sight of the weapon. Her hands were shaking as the stranger lowered the rifle. She was not much taller than Shelby herself, but that was where the similarities between the two of them ended. The stranger was covered in white plates, aside from a crest of pink fins around the top of her head. They were spread wide, and she scowled and leveled the weapon again. Her pointed face and wide black eyes reminded Shelby of a lizard.

“Are you going to answer me or what because I have no qualms about feeding you to Chungus.”

“Hi, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves there. I’m Shelby Goodkind, a missionary from Earth. Me and my friends here were just trying to get to the next fuel station when we had some unfortunate accident. We’re not here to hurt you or Chungus.” Shelby gestured vaguely at the enormous insect who regarded her with blank eyes. She cringed and looked away.

“The fuck are you doing all the way out here? We’re parsecs away from any human inhabited planet.”

Shelby shrugged.

“I really don’t know. All I know is, our ship just got downed and we’ve lost our captain, so I would greatly appreciate it if you could just lower your weapon.”  
The stranger’s eyes softened as she lowered the rifle. Her finger remained on the trigger. Shelby dropper her hands with a sigh of relief. She added being held at gunpoint to the list of traumatic events of the day. 

“Listen, I’m sorry but you and your deal here are scaring my animals. Also, you just plowed one massive trench through my property so I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I don’t know what happened, but I’ll let it slide if you and your friends get moving right now,” the stranger said. 

“Hey, fuck you man! Didn’t you just hear what she just said? We’re stranded here,” Toni shouted from behind Shelby. The stranger snapped to attention, aiming squarely at Toni. Shelby grabbed her as she pushed past. Leave it to Toni to yell at an armed stranger with control of a giant monster, she thought. 

“Toni, kindly be quiet for a moment so I can negotiate with this very kind pink crested lady,” Shelby asked Toni. 

Toni glared at her but quieted. Shelby shook her head and released the smaller crewmember. Toni stood to the side, glaring harshly at the stranger.

“I’m sorry about that, we’re all just very shook up right now. Like my friend said, we are stranded here. I would love to leave, but right now we’re stuck until we can contact someone to help us.”

The stranger sighed and dropped the point of the rifle again. 

“Look, I don’t know what your customs are on whatever planet you come from, but generally it’s pretty rude to crash land your trash on someone else’s property. You just blew up like, half a solar rotation of my crops. I kind of need those to eat.”

Shelby smiled nervously and nodded. “I’m real sorry about that. It’s just that our captain is missing, and we have no way off the planet. If you could help us get in contact with someone from Earth, or even just another human settlement we’ll be out of your hair.” Shelby noted the pink crests surrounding the strangers head. “Well, not hair. That’s just an expression.”

“I know what out of your hair means. I watch a lot of Earth shows.” She sighed, and the crests on her head fluttered nervously. “You can come on out. But no funny moves, or I really will let Chungus eat you.” The rest of the crew peeked their way through the doorway. The stranger laughed. “What the hell are you wearing?”

“Standard issue. We didn’t pick the color,” Dot replied.

Shelby shrugged and backed toward the group. “I actually like the color.”

“Are you going to help us or what?” Rachel asked.

“I guess I am, if it means you get out of here and quit scaring the animals,” the stranger sighed.

“Do you think Jeanette is ok?” Martha asked.

The stranger looked to the destroyed remains of their vessel. 

“I wouldn’t put my money on it.”

She approached the group slowly and looked them over. The insect paced around behind her.

“I don’t have anything to help you. All I got at home is a shitty transponder I use to talk to my uncle the next planet over. But if you find something and need somewhere to stay, I suppose you could use the barn. It’ll be better than trying to sleep in a hunk of metal during the lightning storms at night.”

Fatin cursed and rubbed her temples. “Of course we had to crash on a planet that has lightning storms.”

“At least it has people on it,” Nora replied.

“Sometimes that’s not better,” Leah muttered.

“Yes that would be very kind of you,” Shelby said, flashing another one of her smiles at the stranger. “We would all really appreciate that. Could you give us one moment to talk, please?”

Shelby pulled the girls into a huddle.

“This is a horrible idea. What if she’s some kind of alien serial murderer and she’s luring us back to her lair?” Leah asked.

“I’m with Leah on this one guys,” Rachel agreed.

Shelby groaned in frustration. 

“You heard her. We can’t stay here. Unless any of you has a better idea, feel free to speak up. But until then, I think going with her is the best option. Besides, she doesn’t look scary. She’s like a little lizard,” Shelby said. 

“Did you just say I look like a lizard?”

All of the girls snapped to attention and Shelby blushed. “No, no it’s a compliment! Lizards are cute!”

The girl regarded her suspiciously. “If I learn what a lizard looks like someday and it’s not cute, I’m going to be mad.”

“Oh yeah, super cute. Super, super cute. Cutest animals on Earth, right Martha?” Leah asked, elbowing Martha.

“I especially like geckos. But I do think frogs are cuter but those aren’t technically lizards they’re amphibians.”

“Just…take your time, get your shit together. If you need me, I live just over the next ridge, in the first big canyon. There’s a rope if you need it. But you got to be off my farm first thing in the morning.”

Shelby sighed in relief and approached the stranger, hand out. The stranger looked down at it in confusion.

“I’m not giving you anything, if that’s what you want. I might starve because of you.”

“Oh, no, I just wanted to shake hands. It’s a common Earth gesture.”

The stranger looked at her and her crests fluttered. “Uh, not to be rude, but I don’t know where you’ve been.”

Martha shouldered her way to the front of the group.

“You’re Naeiithene, right?”

The stranger stared at her and nodded. Martha nodded back and put her hands to the top of her head, almost as if she had ears and waved them back and forth. The stranger’s expression brightened and she almost smiled back. Her crests waved and she put away her rifle. 

“Most everyone around here calls me Grub. You know where to find me. I hope you find your friend.”

Without another word she let out a piercing whistle and the massive insect approached them. Instead of attacking or otherwise frightening them it simply lowered itself so Grub could hop on its back. With one last glance at them Grub and Chungus rode away into the wasteland.

Shelby turned to Martha, more than slightly impressed.

“Martha, what did you just do?”

“Oh, she’s Naeiithene. I just did the gesture for thank you and friends. It’s more traditional for them to communicate important things through body language. I think she told me that she understands.”

Shelby nodded, eyebrows raised in shock. Toni was nodding and smirking.

“I guess it’s good to have a zoologist around sometimes,” Dot said. “Now, let’s scavenge for whatever’s left. I want to be out of here before sunset, whenever that is.”  
The remaining crew of the Eden combed through the wreckage. The total resources from the wreckage were several gallons of water in massive jugs and a box of ration packs. Shelby did not feel good about their chances. However, she simply gave a small prayer and hoped that was enough. The rest of the girls were not in such high spirits. 

“Why don’t we do a little relaxation exercise, just to lighten the mood?” 

“Absolutely not.”

“Not interested.”

“Hard pass.”

Shelby scoffed and threw aside a burnt up ration pack. “Fine.”

“Well, how about we relax when we’ve got a roof over our heads. Then we can play as many games as you want,” Toni grumbled. 

“It’ll be nice to rest after digging through all of this,” Martha said. 

It became abundantly apparent that in the barn there would be no relaxing. Upon dragging all of the salvaged supplies into the ridge with the help of some of Grub’s worms, it was clear that the barn was not meant for human accommodation. Shelby should have probably have assumed the barn was already inhabited, given its nature. It hadn’t occurred to her until she watched Grub usher the last of the massive worms inside that they would technically be sharing accommodations for the night. 

“I really don’t know how I feel about this,” she said. “Aren’t these things supposed to eat humans?”

Grub laughed and scratched the head of one of the smaller worms.

“No, Rotgrubs don’t eat people. They only eat rocks. These guys wouldn’t hurt a Kanarang dung sucker. Wouldn’t you, my sweet prince?” She asked the smaller worm, which rubbed itself into her outstretched hand. “Oh yes, you are my sweet prince. My tiny king.”

Toni stifled laughter. “So what you’re telling me is you’re Grub, and you farm grubs?”

Shelby tried not to notice one of the larger ones staring at her. She shuddered. That was what the bible meant by unnatural. Although there were times that she questioned if the bible counted so far away from Earth. Her father would’ve told her that God created all. However Shelby knew that sometimes there were variables that didn’t fit into God’s equation. 

“Well, I just don’t think you would be able to pronounce my real name. Grub is for everyone who can’t.” 

“Sure I could,” Shelby said, bright smile in place, “I’m very good at pronouncing names properly.”

Grub was bemused. “No, you can’t. But you can try. Here it’s,” Grub fully unhinged her mouth, unleashing a piercing droning sound that seemed to pulse. Shelby covered her ears and cringed. It reminded her of the fire alarm at school that kids would pull to get out of class, or even just for fun. The only one who seemed unfazed was Dot. 

“I told you that you couldn’t pronounce it,” Grub said.

Shelby’s ears were still ringing. She looked to Dot. “How are you so unbothered by that?”

“I go to a lot of concerts. My ears are basically decorative now.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Probably not.”

Shelby shrugged. Despite having lived in the same town as Dot for years, she really did know almost nothing about her. Aside from her reputation as a small-time drug dealer. Despite her having a reputation of being a lone wolf, she had still never been anything but nice to Shelby when they rarely interacted. While some people often were happy to make fun of Shelby for her religious conviction and sunny disposition, Dot had always treated her like everyone else. That is, that she would rather not interact with them unless she had to.

“Well, I’m going to let you all sleep. I get up early in the morning and so do the grubs, so rest up. It’s a full day’s walk to the nearest town.”

“A full day’s walk?” Fatin groaned.

“A word of advice: it’s warmest near the grubs. Also, try to ignore the massive lightning strikes. The barn’s stood since before I was born and even though it totally seems like it’s going to collapse it won’t. Sleep tight!” Grub smiled, and closed the door to the barn on them. 

“She’s crazy. Also, naked. All the time,” Toni said.

“Maybe being naked is part of their religion,” Shelby suggested.

“It certainly isn’t a part of yours,” Fatin replied. 

Shelby sighed and shook her head. She had gotten accustomed to Fatin’s barbed remarks. Although sometimes exceptionally creative, the sentiment wasn’t anything she hadn’t seen before. 

“Alright settle down, cowboys,” Dot grumbled, setting up the small camping stove that they’d salvaged on a clear piece of ground. For such large animals, the grubs hardly took any room or left any waste. They slept in large pens curled around each other, if they slept at all. The large one was still staring at Shelby.

The ration packs that they synthesized were bland and gritty. However after a long day of moving around in high gravity anything was a gourmet meal. Shelby could feel the planet’s mass pulling on her as she sat on the hard rock. Every movement felt twice as difficult on the barren planet. They still had no idea what planet it was. The entire situation was disheartening, more than Shelby would have liked to admit. For once, she had no idea if God would be able to deliver her from this.

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m going to sleep,” Fatin said. She rolled over on her side and cursed. “I would if I could take this stupid mask off.”

“Well actually if you take it off the air inside your lungs will freeze and you would die,” Nora told her.

“I was just kidding.”

“Why don’t we all be quiet, and we can all sleep then?”

Just as Shelby suggested quiet, the crack of thunder boomed through the barn. Shelby jumped and looked around frantically. An electric haze covered the air making Shelby’s hair stand on edge and the taste of metal in her mouth.

“They really weren’t kidding when they said electric storms,” Martha said.

Shelby sighed and laid back down. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine being in bed at home before everything there went the wrong direction. Through sheer exhaustion she managed to sleep through the thunder.


End file.
